The Launch Pad ASRAAM

The Launch Pad - ASRAAM {Kit} (K003)

Contributed by Joe Cacciatore

Construction Rating: starstarstarstar_borderstar_border
Flight Rating: starstarstarstar_borderstar_border
Overall Rating: starstarstarstar_borderstar_border
Published: 2011-06-01
Diameter: 2.60 inches
Manufacturer: The Launch Pad
Skill Level: 3
Style: Scale

AsraamBrief:
Dual "D" engine scale model o' t' UK/Germany Advanced Short Range Air t' Air Missile (ASRAAM).

Construction:
This Launch Pad rocket is exactly like all t' other TLP kits.
T' Kit contains:

  • Plastic nose cone
  • Cardboard body tubes (2)
  • Balsa fins
  • Shock cord attachment & engine mountin' t' same as t' older Estes rockets.
  • Parachute is purple mylar.

T' quality o' t' parts is OK with t' nosecone o' better quality than I have seen in other kits.

Instructions are illustrated and are pretty basic and simple t' follow. Assembly starts with t' dual engine mount and then t' body tube. This rocket has clean lines and is a very basic 4 finned and a nose cone rocket.

Templates are supplied for t' fins and shock cord anchor. For some reason t' TLP never includes any information on launch lugs so one has t' figure out where t' put them. Aye aye! Blimey! Blimey! I put mine betwixt t' fins and half way up t' body.

Finishing:
Although no decals are included, shiver me timbers, thar be alot o' information on markin' and paintin' t' rocket.

Construction Rating: 3 out o' 5

Flight:
I have flown mine 2 times. Once with D12-3 and once with D12-5. Both seem t' work fine. O' course you have t' use enough waddin' t' protect t' chute. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! Lookin' at t' rocket you may be concerned with how well it would fly with t' small fins it has and it bein' a dual engine rocket with a lot o' weight at t' rear. Avast! Ya scallywag! But surprisingly it flew great both times. Aye aye! Begad! Nice, me bucko, straight and ejection at t' proper time.

AsraamRecovery:
Unfortuanately mine suffers from 2 problems. First, me hearties, me bucko, because t' engines are recessed a bit, t' inside o' t' body tube gets a little burnt! See picture. Ya scallywag! Secondly, with dual engines it is aft heavy when comin' down. Well, blow me down! Arrr! That compounded with a chute nay fully open caused some minor damage t' t' bottom o' t' rocket. See picture.

If I were t' build again, shiver me timbers, matey, I would put a reinforcement rin' inside t' bottom o' t' rocket t' strengthen and help protect it from t' flames.

AsraamFlight Rating: 3 out o' 5

Summary:
Pros:

  • Nice, shiver me timbers, clean lines
  • High quality nosecone
  • Easy t' assemble
  • Dual engines
  • Stable flyer, more stable than me other TLP kits with larger fins, ya bilge rat, weighs only 6 ozs so you can get some good height on dual engines, matey, you could probably also fly it on dual C11-3s.

Overall Rating: 3 out o' 5

Other Reviews
  • The Launch Pad ASRAAM By Larry Brand

    ASRAAM is a scale kit by The Launch Pad that models a prototype of a thrust-vectored air-to-air missile. As such, it sports a set of dinky fins that suggest not too much of a stability margin. In fact, ASRAAM is not only exceptionally stable in flight, but is an excellent, easy-building sport flyer, and a good choice for a first cluster model (it uses a pair of 24mm motors). Surprisingly, flight ...

Flights

Comments:

avatar
L.B. (May 5, 2003)
I agree with everything Joe has said. TLP ASRAAM is a great kit for a non-beginner, and a fine flying cluster model. See my MODS review of a sport version elsewhere in this site. The one change that I would really recommend to a pure scale version is to move the motor mounts aft so its flush with the end of the body tube or nearly -- more thrust and more durable that way. I don't know what TLP is trying to accomplish by recessing the motor mounts so much -- of course it incinerates the tail of the rocket!! Of course the tail crushes when it lands!! Plus all the books tell you that the void "expansion" space created by recessing motors this much robs the model of thrust. I happily fly my modified version on D12-7's vs. the D12-3's recommended by the manufacturer. C'mon TLP, change this and make a good rocket a great rocket.
avatar
C.J.B. (July 2, 2005)
As with any other of our kits with the recessed engine mounts, I have stated before that the rear end scorching will NOT take place if the launcher uses a blast DEFLECTOR, not a flat blast plate. These rockets, being larger and heavier than small model rockets, linger on the pad a bit longer before they build up momentum. The scorching is caused by exhaust being REFLECTED up onto the rear of the rocket instead of being shunted away. An angled deflector or a curved scoop will prevent this scorching. Our test models have been flown many times without this damage.

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